Button sewing attachment for sewing machines



I Filed Feb. 6, 1946 Aug. 1951 I M. E. HARRIS 2,565,813

BUTTON SEWING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1951 M. E. HARRIS 2,565,813

BUTTON SEWING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 6, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 28, 1951 BUTTON SEWING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Mai-scan E. Harris, Mount Vernon, 111. Application February 6, 1946, Serial No. 645,921

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines which are equipped with buttonhole attachments, and more particularly to an attachment to the button hole mechanism thereof adapted for the sewing of buttons on garments handled by the machine.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simple, efiicient and inexpensive removably securable attachment for the button hole mechanism of a sewing machine which will adapt the sewing machine to button sewing on operations, use being made of the conventional mechanisms now found in button hole machine attachments for imparting to the button sewin parts the necessary transverse oscillatory movements which properly time intervals of stitching and properly position parts of the clothing or garment with relation thereto in carrying out the button sewing on operation while the conventional button hole making mechanism is so adjusted as to eliminate the linear movement utilized in forming elongated button holes.

Another object thereof is to provide, in a device of the kind described, a simple attachment, which, when applied to the button hole mechanism having the necessary adjustments em-' bodied therein converts the same into a button sewing on mechanism capable of positioning the button to be sewn on the garment fed under the needle bar with respect to the latter so that the needle will lay a stitch first in one hole of the button, and then, after a slight shifting of position of the button takes place, causing another stitch to be laid in another hole of the same button, etc.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an attachment to button hole mechanism of a sewing machine having an adjustment for limiting, or entirely eliminating. the linear motion imparted to the goods sewn and which is adapted to receive the usual transverse oscillatory movements imparted by means of the carriage of the button hole mechanism, which will be effectiveto properly carry a button shiftably to transverse positions properly centered with relation to the sewing needle for presenting in turn each separate button eye to be sewn on to the garment; which attachment by means of the parts composing my invention isrendered capable of accommodating itself to buttons of varying sizes, the necessary variations to hold such buttons being provided for by details of constructoon now to be explained.

With the above and other objects in view my invention consists in the combination, arrange ment and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout the respective views,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of parts of a button hole mechanism of a sewing machine, showing my attachment applied in position thereupon,

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the parts of my attachment,

Figure 3 is a cross-section of the movable parts of my attachment taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the parts of my attachment,

Figure 5 is a top plan view of my attachment, and

Figure 6 is an end view of my attaching plate.

In the drawings, which are merely illustrative of my invention I show certain well-known conventional parts of button hole mechanism, for example, such as that shown in Patent No. 1,903,671. 10 designates the usual pawl carrying lever pivotally mounted on the frame of the button hole mechanism. The lower forked end of the lever embraces a screw (not shown) which extends from the side of the usual needle bar of a sewing machine. When the needle bar reciprocates lever ID oscillates and by means of pawl II and ratchet wheel l2 on cam shaft l3, imparts a step by step movement to a cam (not shown) forming part of mechanism for oscillating the carriage of the machine (not shown) by means of a lever 16 having a cam follower fixed thereon; the cam oscillates lever it which has a slotted connection ll with the plate 15 of my invention which replaces a plate held in the same position in current button hole machines for actuation by the same button hole mechanisms. Pin 18 of the cam mechanism normally used for oscillating the replaced plate is adjustably carried by the lever l6 and extends in a slot I'I formed in a lateral projection 21 of the plate 15 forming part of my attachment, which plate I5 is subject to the oscillating movements imparted by the cam means of the button hole mechanisms.

Screw head I9 on pin 18 provides for adjustments in the position of the pin [8 relative to the lever H5 for varying the transverse oscillatlOl'lfOf the plate I5. The eccentric stop M on pm means to space apart stitches along the sides l8, serves, when adjusted properly as a.

of the button hole and also for completely disengaging the means on the button hole maker normally used for imparting linear motion to the plate. There is another cam shaft 20, carrying a suitable clutch element (not shown) from which the arm 20a extends engageable by a shoulder on the lever In so as to impart step by step rotation of the cam shaft 20. The frame of the button hole mechanism includes a rear: ward projection 2| to which is suitably connected a rockable lever 23 providing a slotted connection between the carriage and yoke 23a driven by the usual gear on the cam shaft 20, so that as the yoke reciprocates it imparts linear motion to the carriage 23a driven by the usual gear on the cam shaft 20. by the cam on shaft 20. The lever 24a has a slot 25 in which a pin 26 is disposed, which lever when operated imparts necessary transverse movement to the plate which plate I replaces. However, when the attachment of this invention is positioned on the button hole maker, the eccentrically mounted stop [4 is adjusted until it engages the arm 20a to remove the latter from all engagement with the shoulder formed on the lever l0, and the cam shaft 20 is rendered immobile.

The carriage and plate l5 oscillates on the machine in proper bearings well known to those skilled in the art. The usual button hole making attachment to sewing machines has a rectangular cloth engaging foot 'which I remove fromthe sewing machine and completely replace by my plate l5 and mountings thereupon. When a button is to be sewn by means of my attachment on the machine; eccentrically mounted stop [4 is adjusted as described above so that onlythe cam mechanism controlled from cam shaft i3 is then operative to secure transverse oscillation of the plate I5 which has been operatively secured with relation to lever [6 con- 24a is a lever controlled trolled from said cam shaft. This will shift the 7 button, and plate to the right or left repeatedly in the same path so the needle will first pass through one eye of the button and then through the other until the button is attached to the garment; by shifting member is in a well known manner variation in distance apart of the button eyesis obtained to the right and to the left.

l/Vith'this explanatory statement showing how plate I5 is governed in movement by movable means supplied by the conventional button hole attachment to a sewing machine, my invention and attachment plate [5 aims to take hold of buttons of varying sizes so as to accommodate my invention to the moving parts of my machine. To this end the plate has the lateral slotted projection 21 acted upon by the pin I8 carried by the lever It. Formed upon its top surface the plate has a medial groove 28 preferably opening out of its end, in which between its ends is formed a slot 33 in which the screw head 29 is reciprocatively disposed, in a countersunk fashion so that this head is flush with outer face of plate l5. This screw head 29 is part of a bolt 32 which attaches a spreader member 48, about to be described, upon a slidable bar 38 which may be operatively guided in a groove 38a formed in the opposite side or face of plate l5, shown in Figure 2. This bar is adapted to be shifted rectilinearly of the plate medially thereof carrying the spreader member 48 along with it. 35 designates a pivot hole through which projects a suitable pin 36 which attaches plate IE to the frame or like part of the button hole machine.

I provide upon the under face of the plate I5 a pair of elongated levers 30 and 3| which extend longitudinally of the plate, having their inner ends fulcrumed upon pivot pins 54 and 55 in back of the pin 36, so that these levers are separated transversely. The free ends of these levers extend in advance of the plate I 5 at which place they are depressed downwardly as at 51 in stepped relation to the levers for engagement with a button to be sewed on the garment. The depressed parts 51 of the levers, are formed with incut V--notches 59, and 60 respectively for hold- 15 ing onto the button that is to be seated upon an under supporting arm 42 formed upon the slidable bar 38,- this part being also depressed in stepped formation to the bar as shown at 56. A U-shaped bail spring member has a cross piece 68 fixedly secured upon the under side of plate [5 in advance of the pivoted ends of levers 30 and 3| at 68, while longitudinal oppositely arranged spring arms64 and 65 extend longitudinally of the levers having inturned terminals 63 secured into the long edges of the levers between their ends. These springs normally hold the levers in open relation but in close proximity one to the other. It will be seen that the spreader member 48 has oppositely arranged outwardly divergent inclined slots 49 and 50 respectively formed therein, through which depend pins 44 and 45 carried by the levers 3B and 3| respectively.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the plate IS'receives the oscillating movement from the button hole mechanisms already explained, so that when a button is held fast on this plate and properly centered thereon with respect to the needle bar and needle or the machine, sewing stitches will be laid by the needle in each buttonlholeof the button, the oscillating movements imparted. to the plate being timed to properly position each button hole in turn relative to the needle. In order to hold buttons of variable sizes, the jaws 3il'and 3|, jaw shifting member 48 and button. supporting shiftable element 42 are provided." :The button is laid onto the toe end 42 of the bar 38, after shifting member 48 has beeen pushed rectilinearly so as to spread apart the jaws 3fland 3| sufficiently, upon release of this shifting member 48 the spring arms 64 and 65'will urge the jaws 3t and 3| together so that the V-notches 59 and 60 of the lever ijaws mayclose against the periphery of the button held supported upontoe 42 of bar 38. This centers the button upon plate l5 in a manner to undergo with the plate the transverse'shifting movements of the machine for entering the needle intoeach eye of the button in turn. When desired, the plate l5 canbe removed from the machine by loosening and removing screw bolt 36 and the rectangular button hole attachment can be restored to the machine to replace my attachment. 7

I do not confine myself to the exact details of construction but cover all variations of the claim. r q

What I claim is:

A button sewing attachment for a sewing machine'button hole mechanism having a removable carriage adjustable to provide lateral vibrating movement thereof only and an actuated lever for laterally, vibrating said carriage; comprising a flat plate adapted to replace said carriageupon removal thereof including a reduced arm extension and: a slotted projection for operative en- 3 gagement with said lever and formed on one side with an elongated groove and a longitudinal slot in said groove, said plate formed with an opening therethrough for engagement of an attaching member for securing said attachment to said button hole mechanism, a pair of elongated levers on the opposite side of the plate extending along the length thereof, a pivot on the inner end of each of said levers, the free ends of said levers extending forwardly of said plate, a bar, a pin on said bar engaging through said slot, a head on said pin slidable in said groove, said bar extending longitudinally of the plate between said levers and also terminating in a depressed button supporting member, spring arms engaging the longitudinal edges of the levers and secured at their inner ends on said plate, pins depending from said levers, a spreader member. an arm connecting said spreader member with REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,347,406 Robinson July 20, 1920 1,359,858 Barron Nov. 23, 1920 1,903,671 Hacket Apr. 11, 1933 2,383,875 Maxant Aug. 28, 1945 

